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Jan. 22, 2026

National Weather Service Updates

Quote of the Week

Never be limited by other people's limited imagination; never limit others because of your own limited imagination.

-Dr. Mae Jemison

Future Meetings

 

See all GHA meetings.

 

Resources

 

CDC COVID Data Tracker

COVID-19 updates for the United States.

 

Ebola

The Department of Public Health (DPH) offers answers to your Ebola questions.

 

State Epidemiologist

24-hour access to a State Epidemiologist: 1-866-PUB-HLTH.

 

CDC Information

Visit www.cdc.gov to stay up to date on current information.

 

Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities (DBHDD) Visit to access mental health services.

 

SAMHSA: Preventing Suicide

Visit the suicide prevention resource page.

 

988 Lifeline

Call or Text 988 for crisis care and support 24 hours a day.

State of Emergency

Governor Kemp Declares State of Emergency Throughout Georgia Ahead of Winter Storm

 

Governor Brian Kemp has declared a State of Emergency across Georgia ahead of what could be a highly disruptive winter storm this weekend. Several north Georgia counties are so far under a Winter Storm Watch for the major system that will stretch across much of the Southwest, Southeast and Mid-Atlantic. It's anticipated that more in metro Atlanta will be put under a watch as the weekend approaches.

HAN-Health-Advisory

New World Screwworm: Outbreak Moves into Northern Mexico

 

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a Health Alert Network (HAN) Health Advisory to share information and notify clinicians, public health authorities, and the public about recent New World screwworm (NWS) animal cases in the Mexican state of Tamaulipas, which shares a border with the U.S. state of Texas.  No NWS infestations related to this outbreak have been identified in people or animals in the United States as of Jan. 20. 

Malaria: Preparing for World Cup Travelers

 

As Georgia prepares to welcome teams and fans for the FIFA World Cup 2026, hospitals may see more patients with fever after international travel, some of whom will have malaria. To help clinicians prepare, this webinar will discuss:

  • What malaria is and how it typically presents in travelers.
  • Which World Cup–participating countries still have local malaria transmission.
  • When to suspect malaria and order diagnostic testing.
  • How to rapidly obtain and interpret malaria tests (RDT, smear, PCR).
  • Who to contact for 24/7 consultation on malaria diagnosis and treatment.

Doctors Warn Georgia Parents of Measles Outbreaks Across the South

 

Georgia health officials are warning parents as measles cases soar in neighboring South Carolina. Cases have doubled within the last week, leaving some doctors gravely concerned. The South Carolina health department reported 124 new cases since Jan. 13, bringing the state’s total to 558 in a wave of infections centered around an outbreak in Spartanburg County.

AHA Releases Health Care Leaders’ Guide to Mass Violence Preparedness, Response, Recovery and Mitigation

 

The American Hospital Association's (AHA) Hospitals Against Violence initiative partnered with the Medical University of South Carolina’s National Mass Violence Center (NMVC) to provide resources and support surrounding incidents of mass violence for the communities and patients served by our hospitals and health systems. NMVC strives to improve community preparedness and the nation’s capacity to serve victims recovering from mass violence through research, planning, training, technology and collaboration. 

Olympus Expands Voluntary Recall for ViziShot 2 FLEX (19G) EBUS -TBNA Needles

 

Olympus Corporation has announced the expansion of a previous global medical device removal action for ViziShot 2 FLEX (19G) EBUS -TBNA needles after receiving and investigating complaints of device components ejecting or detaching during procedures. The complaints included adverse event reports of patient injury and one death. This expanded action includes all lots of the ViziShot 2 FLEX needles and supersedes the August 2025 notice in which only certain lots of the device were being recalled.

Spring & Mulberry Expands Voluntary Recall of Select Chocolate Bars Due to Possible Salmonella Contamination

 

Spring & Mulberry is updating their press release previously issued on Jan. 12 to expand their voluntary recall beyond Mint Leaf to include additional flavors due to possible contamination with Salmonella. Salmonella is an organism that can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly individuals, and others with weakened immune systems.

Abbott Initiates Medical Device Correction for Certain FreeStyle Libre® 3 and FreeStyle Libre 3 Plus Sensors in the U.S.

 

Abbott has initiated a medical device correction for certain FreeStyle Libre 3 and FreeStyle Libre 3 Plus sensors in the United States after internal testing determined that some sensors may provide incorrect low glucose readings. If undetected, incorrect low glucose readings over an extended period may lead to incorrect treatment decisions for people living with diabetes, such as excessive carbohydrate intake or skipping or delaying insulin doses. 

Superfoods Inc. Recalls Live it Up Super Greens Because of Possible Health Risk

 

Superfoods Inc. dba as Live it Up is recalling all Live it Up Super Greens, including both Original and Wild Berry flavors, with lots beginning with the letter “A” and all stick pack products due to possible contamination with Salmonella, an organism which can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems.

COALITION NEWSLETTERS

Region D Newsletter - January 2026

NEWSLETTERS

ASPR Health Care Readiness Bulletin - Jan. 19

 

ASPR HPH Sector Highlights (Cybersecurity) - Jan. 20

 

Georgia Weekly Influenza Report - Week 1

 

MESH Weekly Situational Awareness Brief - Jan. 16

 

Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report - Jan. 22

 

News and Notes - Jan. 16

EDUCATION

Emergency Preparedness Systems Training:

Everbridge Training

GHC911 Training

 

15 'til 50 for Emergency Department MCI Mitigation

Feb. 3

 

AHEPP Annual Conference

Feb. 24-25, 2026

 

Amateur Radio Extra Class Licensing Course

11 sessions from Jan. 15 to March 26, 2026

 

Disaster Mental Health Field Response Training

April 9 - Registration

July 9 - Registration

Oct. 8 - Registration

 

 

NACCHO Preparedness Summit

April 13-16, 2026

 

National Healthcare Coalition Preparedness Conference

Dec. 1-3, 2026

RESOURCES AND REMINDERS

Reminder: Identify, Isolate and Inform!

Identify, Isolate and Inform: It is important to continue to ask travel questions. The purpose of this notice is to remind healthcare providers about actions to take in Georgia when evaluating patients for possible serious communicable diseases.

Travel Clinical Assistant (TCA) 

The Travel Clinical Assistant provides post-travel clinical information on travel-related diseases for 231 countries. Diseases with recent outbreaks occurring in the last two years are listed first.

Volunteer

ONLINE PREPAREDNESS TOOLS

GHC911

GHC911 DRL

Go to the GHC911 homepage

WebEOC

WebEOC

Add your facility to WebEOC.

Everbridge

Everbridge

Sign up for an Everbridge account.

Accessing Tech Support

Selelia Jiles is GHA's Emergency Preparedness Communications Manager. Contact her at sjiles@gha.org, 770-249-4506 (office) or 404-200-5829 (cell).

If you need to reach GHA for a Disaster/Emergency Preparedness-related issue after hours, please contact Mallory Garrett, 706-934-0711.

 

The Disaster Readiness Line Newsletter is circulated by Georgia's Healthcare Coalitions to our emergency preparedness partners.

Georgia Hospital Association, 380 Interstate North Parkway SE, Suite 150, Atlanta, Georgia 30339, 770-249-4500

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